In Ontario today more than 600,000 children and
youth struggle to cope with mental health challenges.
Since 1993, successive governments have “put off until
tomorrow” investment in our children and youth’s future. For 14 out of
16 years, core budgets in Children’s Mental Health Services have
received a zero per cent funding increase, despite a 31 per cent
cost-of-living increase in that same time period.
Flat line core budgets result in operating deficits.
That means programs are cut or reduced to their bare bones. Staff are
laid off and vacancies go unfilled.
“Tomorrow” has caught up to us. Today, more than 11,000
children and youth now languish on waitlists. As you know, those lists
are growing longer each and every day.
I urge you to give these children and youth the hope
they need that there will be a healthy tomorrow: restore funding to
Children’s Mental Health Services today.
